A treadmill test of sprint running

Area of Science:

• Sports Science
• Exercise Physiology
• Biomechanics

Background:

• Anaerobic power exhibits high specificity to muscle groups and recruitment patterns.
• The Wingate Anaerobic Test (WAnT) is a widely used cycling test but lacks running specificity.
• A need exists for a reliable test to assess running-specific anaerobic power.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce and describe a novel treadmill-based test for assessing running-specific anaerobic power.
• To evaluate the feasibility and preliminary results of this new anaerobic testing protocol.
• To compare the outcomes of the new test with established methods like the WAnT.

Main Methods:

• Utilized a modified treadmill (BRL 1800, Gymrol) with a torque motor and hip-belt harness.
• Measured force via a strain gauge and vertical displacement via a potentiometer.
• Calculated horizontal, vertical, and total power output based on force, displacement, and belt speed.
• Determined peak power (highest 2.5s) and mean power (20s duration).

Main Results:

• Preliminary data from young athletes showed results consistent with age-related anaerobic power trends.
• The anaerobic treadmill test yielded higher power values compared to WAnT in comparable age groups.
• Observed higher values are attributed to larger muscle mass involvement and shorter peak/mean power durations.

Conclusions:

• The developed treadmill test effectively measures running-specific anaerobic power.
• This test allows for monitoring of running-specific anaerobic capacity.
• It also facilitates the analysis of the interplay between horizontal and vertical power components during running.